Apple Spice Streusel Muffins

Yay! It’s official! Fall has arrived! Let’s celebrate by making a batch of Apple Spice Streusel muffins! I don’t make a ton of muffins or quick bread the other three seasons of the year. But, Fall arrives, and I break out the muffin pans! I love a kitchen counter loaded with baked goods! MMMHMM! I want them all! Streusel-topped. Drizzled with glaze. Loaded with apples! The Best! These muffins are rich and tender! Packed with juicy grated apples, sweet cinnamon, and nutmeg! And, because I love anything topped with an oat-studded crunchy streusel, I went there! And, THEN, I couldn’t resist a drizzle of lemon glaze! A little sweet and tangy lemon glaze never hurt anything!

We are lucky to have an awesome family-owned and operated fruit farm close to us. They carry a wide variety of traditional and heirloom varieties of apples. I love going there because they have baskets of each apple variety for sampling. There are baskets of Mollie’s Delicious, Zestar, Winesap, Elstar, Ginger Gold, Macintosh, Honeycrisp. There are so many varieties I can’t even name them all!

Why am I rambling about apples and fruit farms?

It’s a nudge! A nudge to tug on a cozy sweater, get in the car, roll the windows down. And, drive past vineyards of plump ripe grapes {smell the air! It’s the best!}. Visit a small-town apple or pumpkin festival! Munch on a bag of sweet and salty Kettle Korn! Have a spicy, hot cider! Visit a local fruit farm/orchard! Buy a giant bag of fresh and delicious apples! And, when you get home. Fire up the oven. Grate some of the apples, and mix up a batch of these Apple Spice Streusel Muffins! They are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert {top with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, of course!}!

I’ll confess to you guys. Apple treats aren’t usually my first choice. But this streusel and glaze covered muffin? They have converted my pumpkin-loving tastebuds! What are your favorite apple treats? Leave a comment below to let me know! Happy Fall, Everybody!

Apple Spice Streusel Muffins

Description

Apple Spice Streusel Muffins are loaded with juicy grated apples, sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, and rich brown sugar! Then, topped with a sweet and crunchy sugar and oat streusel! Finish with a perfectly balanced lemon glaze and breakfast is served. Perfect as an addition to your next brunch, as well!

Scale

Ingredients

For the Streusel:

6 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

5 Tbsp regular rolled oats

4 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

1/8 tsp almond extract

For the Muffins:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

zest of one lemon

one packed cup of grated apple ~ Lay the grated apples on a piece of paper towel to absorb any excess moisture! { I used Macintosh!}

For the Glaze:

1 cup of powdered sugar, sifted

pinch of sea salt

1 Tbsp butter, melted

1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spritz a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Put a cupcake liner into each well. Set Aside.

Melt the butter for the muffin batter and set it aside.

Make the Streuesel:

Combine the dry ingredients and add the softened butter. Use your fingertips to pinch the ingredients together until pea-sized clumps form. Drizzle the almond extract over the streusel. Pinch a bit more to work it in. Set aside.

Make the Muffins:

In a medium-sized bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Place the brown sugar and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix for one minute.

Add the melted and cooled butter and mix for another minute. Scrape the bowl down. Add the eggs, sour cream, and extracts. Mix for one more minute. Scrape the bowl again. Add the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed while drizzling in the whole milk. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the grated apples. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Top each muffin with streusel. Pat the streusel into the batter to make sure it doesn’t roll off during baking.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted can be removed and has just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and remove them from the pan. While the muffins cool, make the glaze.

Combine all of the glaze ingredients and whisk until combined. When the muffins are completely cool, dip a whisk into the glaze, and quickly flick your wrist back and forth to decorate the tops of the muffins. Enjoy!

Notes

Use your favorite apple for this recipe. Just be sure it’s an apple variety suited for baking or cooking. I recommend Macintosh, Granny Smith, Zestar or Winesap apples.

Mixing the brown sugar and lemon zest together releases the lemon oil from the zest and gives the apple muffins a “flavor-lift”!

Sifting the powdered sugar before making the glaze guarantees the finished glaze will be smooth and beautiful!

Don’t skip placing the grated apple on a paper towel to absorb the excess moisture!